Kinako

I often make tofu dango (shitatama rice flour and silken tofu ). It got me thinking about if I could use pumpkin to make a Halloween dango. So I thought I’d give it a try . Being a recipe creator is all about trying out new ideas in the kitchen. These kabocha dango turned out amazing. Soft and chewy mochi balls on a bed of sweet bean paste and dusted with kinako and ground black sesame. What a perfect Japanese wagashi treat for Halloween.

I started out by steaming some kabocha and when it was cool enough I removed the skin and gave it a mash in a bowl.

Add one heaped tablespoon of pumpkin with three tablespoons of Shiratama rice flour,half a teaspoon of maple syrup and a drop of water to help bind. Cream everything together until you have a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Break off pieces and roll them in your hands do not make them too big as they will not cook through.

You should have enough to make three skewers each one having three dango. Boil a pot of water and drop the balls into the water,when they are done they will float to the top. I always leave them that extra min. Scoop out the balls and drop into ice cold water. Pat them dry and put them through the skewers. Top with what ever you fancy.

These blueberry tray bake slices are so delicious and using the nutty kinako and citrus yuzu gives them a wonderful flavour. So tasty warm or cold with vegan cream or ice cream. They make a great dessert or a quick snack.

Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside. In one bowl add 1 cup of oats ( I use gluten-free ) 1/4 cup of kinako soy bean flour,1/4 cup of almond flour,a pinch of salt,1/4 teaspoon of baking powder,1/3 cup of coconut palm sugar,1/3 cup of coconut butter ( melted ) mix together. In a separate bowl add a cup of fresh blueberries,1 tablespoon of maple syrup or (rice syrup),1 tablespoon of potato starch ( I use Japanese potato starch from Hokkaido but you can also use cornstarch) and one tablespoon of yuzu juice. Mix together .

Tip the oat mixture into the pan and press firmly ( I often cover with plastic wrap and give it a good press down then top the oats with the blueberry mixture and make in a moderate oven for around 30 mins. Remove and let it completely cool before cutting. It may help to put it in the fridge to cook faster.

Cut into bars and enjoy .

I switched things up a bit and added some strawberries and sprinkled on some coconut.

Kinako (黄粉) Japanese roasted soybean flour. You will probably know it from being dusted over wagashi like Mochi . Did you know it also makes a delicious and nutritious drink? Kinako is a Japanese superfood being packed full of protein,and rich in dietary fibre,calcium,potassium,vitamin B1 and A.

That sweet nutty flavour makes a comforting alternative to tea or coffee or have it cold with ice in the summer.

Just add two heaped teaspoons of sifted Kinako to a pan with a teaspoon of sweetener. I like to use coconut palm sugar. Add a cup of your favourite plant based milk. Soy or almond work well. Heat gently whisking well . If you have an electric frother use this to create a nice foam for the top that you can dust with more Kinako before serving. If you want this cold just chill for a few hours mix and add ice before serving. Why not add Kinako to your favourite smoothies it works well with banana. Or add to ice cream for a nutty flavour topping. Sprinkle onto cereal or granola. This stuff is not just for Japanese sweets .

I think I must spend whole days in the kitchen on my days off. There is nothing I like more than creating recipes and to day I ended up making two different cookie recipes this one and the matcha choc chip.

I do love a biscotti and I also love the nutty taste of kinako so I have put them together into this super easy recipe.

These little biscotti are perfect for a mid morning snack with a coffee.

All you need to do to make these is

In one bowl add

1 and cup of oat flour

1/2 cup of kinako

2 teaspoons of baking powder

A good handful of flaked almonds

mix

in another bowl add

1/2 cup of unrefined sugar I used coconut palm sugar

1/4 cup of melted coconut butter

two tablespoons of water

add the wet mixture to the dry to form a dough.

Tip the dough onto some plastic wrap and form into a log about 1 inch thick . Wrap up the dough and place in the freezer for ten mins to firm up. ( this is when I do the washing up )

Take the dough out the freezer and out of the wrap and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Cut your dough log into slices and place in a moderate oven for 10 mins .

After this time take your baking sheet out and let them cool slightly and then tip each slice onto its side and bake again for a further 5 mins.

After this time take them out of the oven and let them cool completely if you don’t they will crumble.

The Autumn equinox is nearly upon us. In Japan it is a Buddhist festival known as higan. In the spring it is known as haru no higan . To celebrate I made Ohagi. This is a traditional confectionery made of sweet mochi rice pounded and shaped with a red bean centre . It is traditional to take these with flowers and incense to the graves of ancestors at this time. In the spring the sweets are called Botamochi named after the tree peony botan . In the fall the same sweets are called ohagi named after the clover bush hagi. I covered mine with kinako and black sesame .

Served with a nice green tea they make a wonderful treat .

This is how to make your very own ( it takes a little time but is well worth the effort !)
1 cup of Japanese rice
1 cup of mochi rice
plastic wrap
tsubu-an ( bean paste )
toppings matcha powder,kinako ground black sesame powder
first wash your rice together really well changing the water a few times
place in your rice cooker with water up to level 2 and cook until done
then pound your rice I use the end of a rolling pin until some it’s mashed but still has some grain don’t over pound or it will be to sticky mix it as your pounding in between with your rice paddle so it’s even.
take about 70g of rice if your having rice on the outside and make balls of these in plastic wrap . Flatten each one spreading it out. Measure out balls of bean paste 30g and place in the middle of each flattened out ball ( mould the rice around the bean paste .
If you want to do a reverse 40g rice and 60g red bean paste .
when they are all done roll them in your chosen topping .
I like to then wrap each one in plastic wrap and freeze them and defrost over night ( great for a bento dessert ) .

Kinako is roasted soybean flour. It tastes a bit like caramel with a hint of nut. It’s often used with Japanese desserts like mochi. Did you know it’s a Japanese superfood? It’s packed full of protein and is easily absorbed by the body and is also high in dietary fiber,calcium,potassium and vitamins A,B1 and lecithin. Simply by adding kinako in your diet you get all these benefits and saponins known for blocking fat absorption and breaking down fat faster. It’s also good for the skin. 1 teaspoon is only 10 calories so makes a healthy latte mixed with some plant based milk just add kinako to milk and heat and froth with a milk frother to make a delicious drink.

The weather in the U.K. is not very summery and although it’s August the wild blackberries are already ripe and ready for picking. Autumn seams to be on its way here already we never have much of a summer though I must say I love autumn foods they are my favourite.

I decided to pick some wild blackberries and make a crumble with fresh apple and some rhubarb out my mother in laws garden .

I just washed the fruit, peeled the apple and sliced it and chopped the rhubarb then lay it in the bottom of an oven proof dish.

I then decided to use that lovely nutty kinako powder to make a crumble topping just by adding gluten free raw organic oats ( I use the ones by rude health). Then add your kinako,some coconut palm sugar and then rub in some coconut butter . I didn’t really measure it out but I used 1 cup of oats 1/2 cup kinako and a tablespoon each of coconut sugar and coconut butter but it really depends on your dishes and how much fruit you have. Spread the kinako crumble mix over the fruit and bake in a moderate over until the crumble topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.

The bi-annual days of the vernal equinox are nearly upon us. In Japan it is a Buddhist festival known as higan. In the spring it is known as haru no higan . To celebrate I made Botamochi. This is a traditional confectionery made of sweet mochi rice pounded and shaped with a red bean centre . It is traditional to take these with flowers and incense to the graves of ancestors at this time. In the spring the sweets are called Botamochi named after the tree peony botan . In the fall the same sweets are called ohagi named after the clover bush hagi. I covered mine with different toppings matcha,kinako and black sesame . I also made a reverse one with the rice on the inside . Spring is nearly here . ぼたもち (牡丹餅) (おはぎ) 私は春分点のために作った ほぼ春です!

This is how to make your very own ( it takes a little time but is well worth the effort !)

1 cup of Japanese rice

1 cup of mochi rice

plastic wrap

tsubu-an ( bean paste )

toppings matcha powder,kinako ground black sesame powder

first wash your rice together really well changing the water a few times

place in your rice cooker with water up to level 2 and cook until done

then pound your rice I use the end of a rolling pin until some it’s mashed but still has some grain don’t over pound or it will be to sticky mix it as your pounding in between with your rice paddle so it’s even.

take about 70g of rice if your having rice on the outside and make balls of these in plastic wrap . Flatten each one spreading it out. Measure out balls of bean paste 30g and place in the middle of each flattened out ball ( mould the rice around the bean paste .

If you want to do a reverse 40g rice and 60g red bean paste .

when they are all done roll them in your chosen topping .

I like to then wrap each one in plastic wrap and freeze them and defrost over night ( great for a bento dessert ) .

Chilling out ( well trying to ) before my job interview to day .
Feel like my life is about to take a massive new change in direction.
It’s pretty scary but sometimes you need that leap of faith .
Listening to the birds and drinking my creamy soy latte and having with it a kinako biscotti twist I made.
I love using kinako ( soy bean flour) in baking it’s gives your baking a really nutty flavour.
That coffee is so ready for a dunk of that biscotti .
Will keep you posted on how the interview goes .
Have a great Monday ?
私は今日の面接をしています
それは新しい仕事のためです
私に幸運を祈りたい ???
私は大豆ラテと黄粉ビスコッティを作った.
私はリラックスしたい

The weather here is Horrible to day high winds and rain ☔️ I made zenzai using @bionaorganic azuki beans .
I cooked them down in water and instead of using loads of sugar I used @clearspringuk rice malt syrup . I topped my zenzai with a grilled mochi rice cake and a dusting of kinako . I also had a matcha and to go with the sweetness of the zenzai you normally have something like pickles so I had an umeboshi plum . Sure wakens up the senses but it’s also really good for digestion .

In a separate bowl add
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1 flax egg ( this is one tablespoon of flax meal mixed with three tablespoons of water and set in the fridge for 20 mins )
1 tablespoon of brown rice syrup
1/4 cup of melted coconut butter / or coconut oil
1 tablespoon of water

Mix wet in to dry until a dough is formed
Then pay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and scoop out heap tablespoons of mixture
Then take each one and put it in plastic wrap and form into a ball ( see pictures )
Then flatten out eat dough ball and lay out on the paper with a good amount of gap between each one to allow the cookies to expand .
Press in some chocolate chunks and bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 mins
Take out the oven when golden ( the cookies will have spread out )
Leave cookies to cool completely

These would be yummy as an ice cream sandwich or as a breakfast cookie maybe with a coffee.

Tsukimi is the start of Autumn with the festival of viewing the harvest moon on the 15th of September.
Pampas grass is displayed and dango balls to mimic the full moon are eaten.
In Japanese folklore it is said the rabbit lives on the moon making Mochi and there is a story and even a children’s song.
Bunny Bunny what are you looking for as you hop?
The moon on the 15th night I’m viewing as I hop.

How to make #dango for Japanese moon viewing festival .
月見 だんご
Moon viewing dumplings are traditionally eaten on this festival and they are so yummy and easy to make. These ones are made with silken tofu .
1. Mix mochi rice flour with silken tofu . (I don’t really measure ) just keep adding until a dough forms .
2. Make your dough into little moon balls .
3. Boil them until they float .
4. Pat them dry with a paper towel

You can then eat them as they are and roll them in kinako powder or sesame powder.
Or you can grill them. I love this because they are all warm and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside .

Place them under a heated grill turning as they brown

To make your sauce use 2 tablespoons of tamari mixed with two tablespoons of syrup ( you can use rice syrup or maple syrup ) then put this in a small pan and heat .

make a slurry of 1 teaspoon kuzu powder and 1/4 teaspoon water and mix into your heated sauce to thicken it.

Take your dango from off the grill and either push on to skewers and spread with your hot sauce and maybe alternate with some anko red bean paste and kinako Or you could have them like little individual sweets topped with a brush of sauce and a squeeze of anko and a dusting of kinako .